A grandfather suffering from terminal cancer could die behind bars after he raided a house "to pay for his own funeral".

Alan Spendlow, 60, of Chomley Street, west Hull, was caught wielding a crowbar after breaking into a 75-year-old’s house in June.

He was only stopped after the pensioner called on two neighbours, and the trio wrestled the “screaming” burglar to the ground in a violent confrontation.

Just weeks earlier, Spendlow had been told that he had incurable lung cancer with doctors giving him just two years left to live.

Claire Holmes, defending him at Hull Crown Court, said his deteriorating health was the reason for committing the burglary.

Alan Spendlow, who has terminal cancer, could die in prison after being convicted of burglary

“At the time he entered the property, he knew about his medical condition. It was the reason for his offending. He wanted to gain money to put aside for his funeral so he was not burdening his family,” she said.

“It is highly likely he would survive a three-year sentence and if he did he would not have long at liberty until he would lose his fight with lung cancer.

“This defendant wants to spend the rest of the time he has left with his family."

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"He is conscious he has already lost four months of that time on remand," she said.

"The visits at the prison don’t feel anywhere near long enough when his life expectancy is limited.

“He committed the offences because he is a family man and they are here [in court] to support him today.”

Spendlow targeted the pensioner’s house in North Dalton, near Driffield, on June 29, when the victim returned to his home to find that it had been broken into.

He then called on two neighbours to enter the property with him as he feared that the intruder might still be inside.

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Stephen Welch, prosecuting, said: "He went inside and found the defendant at the top of the stairs wielding a crowbar which he was holding up high," Mr Welch said.

"A violent confrontation ensued on the stairs before a struggle between the defendant, the victim and his neighbours."

According to the victim, Spendlow was screaming with the crowbar above his head and after a skirmish between the four of them, the defendant was eventually detained for 40 minutes by the trio until police arrived to arrest him.

Spendlow, who committed his first burglary as a teenager in 1971, attempted to play down the offence when questioned by police, telling them it was a "spur of the moment" decision.